Thursday, February 26, 2009
John Proctor's "Goodness"
After tearing up his confession, Proctor tells those assembled, "You have made your magic now, for now I think I do see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs." What does he mean by this? Why is is "magic"? How does this relate to Danforth's "shining sun is up" comment you discussed last night?
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John Proctor uses third person? First of all, the usage of the word magic is almost a play on the unfortuante trigger to this entire situation. But it seems that Proctor is using it in a positive way. It seems as though he draws the strength to tell the truth from the example set for him by those in Salem that he actually has respect for. On the opposing hand, he says "such dogs". Using the evidence that his church attendance has been decreasing, due to Parris's "horrendous" sermons, and his committing of adultery, Proctor is trying desperately to differentiate himself from the "dogs" of the Puritan society. He is trying to either declare himself a TRUE puritan, or simply not what the puritans have turned into. When i hear banner, i think flag and patriotism. Therfore John's statement takes on a sort of new meaning. His "awakening" seems to be the start to a new journey for him, in which he will appreciate his relgion, family, and or surroundings more. As he said, this realization of his shred of goodness is not phenominal (not enough to weave a banner), meaning he isnt completely infatuated with his life yet. BUT in being able to "keep it from the dogs" he is able to salvage the reputation has left, and be confident with it.
Like Kristen kind of said, the use of Magic is ironic. Proctor says they have made their magic, meaning that they have done what they had wished, they had started this witch hunt and they have tried and hanged the people they had intended to. It is ironic because they were fighting against people accused of practicing magic. He then says that there is a shred of good in him, i think the "banner" part is just to show that it is in fact a shred, there is not a lot. There is enough though to keep him from becoming another pawn in the game of the court. He will not confess because they want him to, the tiny shred of good in him is enough to keep him from them, the "dogs".
It sort of relates to Danforth's quote because Danforth said "the shining sun is up," meaning that they are reaching the peak of the conflict, and Proctor said "you have made your magic for now," kind of implying that the madness is done. Proctor seemed to think it was time to end the trials and all of the craziness.
Proctor can see that he has done a good thing by not falsely confessing he saw the devil. Throughout the story he did not see himself as a good man because of his affair with Abigail. But at that moment where he chose to die and be honest with himself than lie to save his life, he realized he made the right decision. His act of good was "not enough to weave a banner with" meaning that it was a "thread" of good, as Michael said. His actions will not have a large effect on the rest of society, but it was good enough to keep it from the "dogs", meaning those accusing him. He didn't stoop to their level and lie in order to please them. I agree with Kristen and Michael that the use of "magic" is ironic. He is telling them that they got what they wanted, which was to convict and hang people who were accused guilty. The irony in this is that they were convicting those involved with magic and witchcraft. This relates to Danforth's comment because he was talking about the beginning of chaos and what they were looking for (what their goals were), and Proctor was saying that they got what they wanted and reached their goal.
I believe that Proctor is saying that he doesn't want to ruin the name Proctor for future generations. I agree with everyone that the "dogs" are symbolizing the people accusing Proctor. I also agree with everyone that how Proctor used magic is ironic because its like Proctor granted their wish for confessing so he won't go to hell. Procotr believes that it is not important to hang this confession on the church door for God to see it, he believes that God has already seen it from him signing it and that was enough to get Proctor out of going to hell. I agree with Jamie in that the court has finally reached their goals "shining sun is up" in discovering witchcraft and someone confessing to it.
I believe, like my classmates, that Miller uses the word "magic" in an ironic way, given the fact that the purpose of the trials was to rid Salem of any from of "magic". i also believe that in Proctor's words he is trying to say that the people have done what they intended, they have convicted and hung many and they have also ruined the lives of those they have even so much as looked at, something they also seemingly intended. in an overall sense, i believe that in this quote Proctor is trying to say that he has seen how strongly the town has been convicted people, and through that he has been able to look at himself more objectively. as with all the accusations going around Proctor is able to put his mistake into perspective, thus he is saying that despite his downfalls, he is able to pull himself away from the madness of all the trials and he is thus able to realize the possibility he holds.
this connects back to Danforth's quote because they are both communicating the fact that the trials have reached their peak and that it is also clear that the trials have also done what they intended. so even though the men are looking at the situations with two different mindsets their facts are the same.
I think Kristen makes an interesting point of the significance of "magic" in the sentence. They have done their "magic" by trying and hanging numerous people. I think what Proctor is trying to say in this statement is that although he has gone through this brutal fight, he won't give up and won't let the court take that last thing he has left which are his rights. He explains that the one shred of goodness in him will not make a banner which I think relates to how he feels about his community. It could be that the shred of goodness in Proctor is good enough for himself although he is not proud of what he has lost during this, causing him to dislike what his community has done to him (in a sense showing less pride).
This relates to Danforths "shining sun" because it conveys that they can see a light. What is done is done. The situation has reached is peak in both cases although DAnforth and Proctor are on separate sides, as Meghan mentioned.
Throughout the fourth act the reader can see that John Proctor is struggling with the question of whether or not he is a god person. He has convinced himself that he is a bad person because he cheated on his wife. HE is also convinced that he is a bad man because of "confessing" to wizardry. Proctor knows that the witch business is foolish, and that there were never any devils or witches in Salem. He originally confesses because he realizes he loves his wife and his kids and wants to be with them. However, when he thinks about it he is angry with himself for signing because he is lying. In the process of confessing to be a wizard Proctor is betraying his friends and neighbors who have hanged before him. Proctor know that those people, his friends, stood by their beliefs and did not back down when threatened with death. Instead, they bravely hanged for their beliefs. Proctor feels fake and hypocritical when he confesses because he was the one who originally said that witches did not exist, yet he confessed to wizardry himself. Finally, it becomes to much for Proctor and he rips up the confession statement. It is then that he says "..for now I think I do see some shred of goodness in John Proctor." (144) Proctor is saying that by not succumbing to hypocrisy and lies he has some shred of goodness left in him. By standing with his friends and dying for the truth Proctor feels that he is morally right. When Proctor uses the word "magic" i think that he means the court has brought out his true person, which is like magic because it was hidden so deep within himself. This relates to Danforth's "shinning sun" comment because in that statement Danforth said that people's true characters would be brought out. I think Evelyn brings up an interesting point when she says that Proctor didn't want to ruin his name for future generations. At one point he says "I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" Proctor know that he is an important figure in the town and he does not want to let down either the townspeople or his future relations by giving in to what the court wants from him.
By this statement I think Proctor means that by this trial he now sees some good in himself. Although he thinks it is not as much as some other villagers it is enough to make him realize that he now will not compromise it even if it means his life. His use of the word “magic” is ironic because, as others mentioned, it can be linked with the witchcraft that caused this event. Also, it is as if he is saying that instead of all the court’s prodding and pressure bringing about a confession it eventually made him resist them stronger. It almost seems sarcastic, saying that after all the bad they have been doing they have now actually done something beneficial. Proctors statement connects to Danforth’s previous one because through the witch trials Procter had been tested and his true character is revealed.
I agree with Kristen that the use of the word "magic" is ironic, as is the ujse of the word "good". Proctor means to say that the court is evil, by turning the situation aorund and making them the witches and by saying the he has become good by denying them. Saying that they made him good is clearly ironic, because he had just disagreed with him by ripping up the paper. However, he does believe that this has made him a better person, because the situation forced him to admit his sin of adultery and to stand up to society. This relates to the title of the play, "The Crucible", because while the witch trials are awful events, they bring about the good in Proctor, much as an event that is a crucible show's people's true character. This obviously contradicts Danforth's "shining sun is up" remark, because Danforth believes the witch trials to be righteous and good, whereas Proctor considers his opposition to them to be morally right. This shows how relative morality. It also relates to Danforth's comment because in this case, Proctors proof and opposition are the shining sun coming up, but the court in this case fears them, making them the true opponents of God.
I also believe that Miller's use of the word magic is ironic in the sense that the thing that the court was fighting against was magic and then Proctor says that their "Magic" or work has been done. He is saying that, before all of this, he thought there was no good left in him, and that he was an evil man. This is why he started to confess in the first place. But when he does what he knows is the right thing to do, and denies that he is a witch, and tears up his confession he is showing that there is still some good in him. The dogs are the town's officials and the people who were involved in the witch trials. He is saying, that yes I have sinned in my life, but I still have enough good in me to be a better person morally that all of you are. In response to Danforth's speech, I basically agree with everyone's views on this. The court has reached the point where they have completed what they set out to do. I agree with what Michael said about how Proctor is saying, now the madness is done. The court is going to start to decline after this to the end of the witch trials. Proctor thought that is was time for the trials to come to an end. They court has done what they wanted to do, and now they should be done.
I think that in his last throes in Salem, Proctor uses the word magic to actually accuse those assembled of the evils thought to be embodied by a which. He is in a final fit of rage against the town, and condemns them as the very witches they sought out in the first place for creating such an irrational judgement of people like himself that caused such loss of life. He drives home his anger towards those assembling by calling them "such dogs" who are trying to force him to sign away his life and flaunt it across the town. He denies them of the full testimony because he would rather die than live a life in ruin from this false testimony. His final choice is to show that his intentions to the town are good by signing the testimony, and yet he sticks to his own convictions and signs his death warrant by tearing it up.
Like Jamie said, I believe that by John Proctor choosing to do the "right" thing and not confess to things that are not true, for the first time since his affair with Abigail, he believes that he is a good person. I agree with everyone else that the use of the word "magic" here is ironic because the court is accusing and hanging people for magic and witchcraft throughout the story, but Proctor tells them these actions were the actual magic and the people of the court, therefore, were the actual witches. This seems to be a turning point for Proctor, where he realizes that, like Evelyn said, God knows what happened and he believes that will keep him out of hell. I believe that this quote relates to Danforth's "shining sun is up" because this is the point where Proctor's true character is revealed.
I agree with Amy in that Proctor is coming to terms with his own morality, and finally forgiving himself for his lechery. He chooses the difficult road of not confessing to lies, and realizes the consequences but believes he wins in the long run with God on his side. The use of magic is very ironic here because the court is condemning magic whereas Proctor states they are enforcing it. Proctor is implying here that the real witches are in fact those inside the court, because they are bewitching others into saying and doing what they want. He speaks of himself with goodness, and states that while you couldn’t “weave a banner” with his goodness (as in he is not a model of morality, he has had faults), his morality is “white” (clean) enough to keep it from “dogs”, or the truly corrupt people such as Danforth. This relates to Danforth’s comment because Danforth stated there was good or evil, no middle ground. Proctor is clearly stating that while he is no saint, he is no witch. A sinner does not forever condemn him, and he is therefore placing himself in the undefined “grey” category which Danforth said did not exist.
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